Munetaka Murakami is back. The White Sox activated him from the 10-day injured list on July 10, 2026, ending a six-week absence caused by a Grade 2 strain of his right hamstring.
Manager Will Venable had already said on July 9 that Murakami would return to the active roster, and the team made it official the next day by reinstating him and optioning Jacob Gonzalez. Murakami was set to rejoin the lineup for a home series against the Athletics.
Why Murakami’s return matters
The timing is important for a White Sox offense that had struggled to get production from first base since Murakami went down at the end of May. Before the injury, he was tied for second in the majors with 20 homers in 246 plate appearances, and his.240/.378/.560 line showed the kind of impact bat Chicago had been missing.
That production had been a big part of why Murakami stood out early in the season. After he left the lineup, the White Sox never completely collapsed, but they did lose some of the edge they had at the position. The team had yet to lose more than three games in a row all season, so the overall record remained intact even as the lineup looked thinner without him.
What comes next
Murakami’s return gives the White Sox a chance to reset a lineup spot that had produced uneven results in his absence. His rehab production did not exactly mirror his early-season power surge, as he hit.227/.312/.355 in 39 plate appearances, but getting him back into games is the bigger step for a club that needs him healthy over the season’s first half.
If Murakami can quickly get back to the form that made him one of the early home run leaders, the White Sox should look more dangerous again. For now, the key development is simple: after six weeks on the shelf, he is back in the majors and back in the middle of Chicago’s plans.
